Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency

Interventional Radiology is a distinct specialty that provides high-quality patient care by using minimally invasive, image-guided techniques to diagnose and treat diseases in nearly every organ system.

The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has established program requirements for the Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency program which, upon completion, offers dual certification in diagnostic and interventional radiology. The Massachusetts General Hospital offers three annual positions in the ACGME accredited Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency program. The aim of the Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency is to provide a comprehensive training in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and to enhance the quality and safety of patient care through a greater focus on clinical care in outpatient clinics, inpatient consultation, admissions and critical care.

The clinical evolution of our specialty has been accompanied by an increased complexity and expansion of imaging and minimally invasive treatment techniques that are employed in an ever-increasing number and variety of procedures. From the treatment of peripheral artery disease with angioplasty and catheter-delivered stents to interventional oncology procedures that rely on transcatheter or percutaneous techniques, an interventional radiologist physician is a member of an exciting, evolving and advancing field. 

The Department of Radiology is dedicated to training world-class clinical radiologists who will practice in a variety of academic and private settings. One of our goals is to train the next generation of academic radiologists, who will continue to contribute to the specialty and expand the frontiers of medical imaging and interventional radiology. Opportunities exist to advance knowledge through participation in basic and clinical research.

Why Mass General Radiology?

The Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Radiology is uniquely positioned to provide exposure to a wide variety of disease states, a critical component of radiology training:

• MGH serves as a general hospital for the local Boston area.
• MGH Satellite imaging centers further increase our coverage of outpatient centers and urgent care clinics.
• MGH draws referrals for subspecialty care from all over the world, providing exposure to rare and newly described diseases.

The Department of Radiology has a long history in the training of future radiologists. It was the first in the country to establish a residency training program. Resident education is given a high priority by the faculty, which consists of approximately 120 radiologists, of whom 18 are Interventional Radiologists. The formal residency training program is closely aligned with the latest advances occurring in the radiologic and minimally invasive care of patients. The department performs more than 890,000 diagnostic examinations and over 19,000 interventional procedures annually.

Clinical Experience

Mass General is the largest Harvard Medical School-affiliated teaching hospital with over 900 beds. It is a world recognized, full service facility covering multiple subspecialties. It is a Level 1 trauma center with a nationally recognized cancer center and active liver, kidney and pancreas transplant surgery programs. With over 47,000 inpatient admissions per year and over 1 million outpatient visits per year, trainees can gain exposure to a wide variety of patients and diagnoses.

Facilities

The interventional facilities include nine fluoroscopy procedure suites and three procedure CT rooms. Four additional hybrid operating rooms with open and endovascular surgical capabilities are also available. All fluoroscopy procedure suites are equipped with digital subtraction angiography capability and physiologic monitoring.

The Department of Radiology is well staffed with dedicated interventional nursing personnel to provide conscious sedation and procedural care. All nurses in the department are critical care and/or ER-certified, and several are pediatric specialists.

Curriculum

The MGH Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency curriculum is structured to provide a strong clinical background and broad exposure to the entire interventional radiology scope of practice and the full range of IR procedures. Learning opportunities exist through daily and weekly teaching conferences dedicated to resident teaching. At the same time, we also provide our residents with a strong foundation in diagnostic radiology.

PGY 1: Clinical Internship

The MGH Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency is a categorical program, which requires trainees who match into our program to also complete a clinical internship at the MGH. This internship has been tailored specifically for interventional radiology trainees and offers a broad exposure to clinical services that are closely aligned with our specialty.

PGY 2-4: Diagnostic Radiology Rotations

The subsequent three years of training are essentially the same as the Mass General diagnostic radiology curriculum. In brief, residents are assigned in two- to four-week blocks and will rotate through all diagnostic radiology subspecialties.

At the end of 36 months of rotations, IR residents are expected to pass the American Board of Radiology Core Exam (part 1).

PGY 5 and 6:

The last two years of training will be dedicated to mastering clinical and procedural skills in interventional radiology. Typical rotations include the following:

• Interventional Radiology
• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Vascular Surgery
• Research
• Clinical Service (outpatient clinics, ward rounds, consultations)
• Electives - ICU
• Vacation & Conferences

Once a resident completes training, they are eligible for the American Board of Radiology IR/DR certificate.

Alternative training pathways to achieve training in Interventional Radiology

Independent Pathway (two positions/year):

We offer one-year Interventional Radiology Independent Residency positions only for individuals who have completed an Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR)* program during their diagnostic radiology residency.

• Requires completion of a diagnostic radiology (DR) residency
  • Match during PGY 4 year of diagnostic radiology residency
  • ESIR certification required from DR residency program
  • Enter the MGH Interventional Radiology Independent Residency for PGY 6 (if ESIR certified)

Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR)

• Diagnostic radiology programs that wish to provide residents with sufficient IR training to qualify for an advanced entry into the second year of an independent IR residency may offer the ESIR program
• Requirements include 12 months of IR (e.g. through a ‘focused year’) or IR-related rotations and 500 procedures